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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

I used to be way better at this...

Wow! It's been almost 6 months since I updated my blog. I used to be so much better at maintaining it because it really is something I enjoy. I still read tons of blogs, but have failed to keep my own up to date.

So what's new? High school swim season came and went. It was so much better the second year than it was the first. SO much smoother and a little less "deer in the headlights." I still have so much to learn, and there are things that I want to change next year, but the kids are amazing, and its a pretty cool way to be involved with them in a sport I love. I am sure, though I complain about the time commitment, I will be with them for at least a few more years.

I have been training as well! I have Ironman 70.3 St. George coming up May 6. When I did it 3 years ago, it was quite possibly the worst race experience to date. It's a toss up between that and my first marathon, though overall, StG would probably win. It was just a disaster. I wanted to immediately go back and do it better, but then IMTX happened and made it impossible for 2015, then 2016 I volunteered, and then got sucked into signing up for this year. I vacillate between being completely excited and terrified.

I also have a new running partner! Maggie passed away in November, not that she had been able to run with me in years anyway, and in January we added Murphy to the family. He's an almost 2 year old husky mix. He LOVES to run. Running and going for rides in the car are his very favorite things. The furthest I have gone with him in one setting was 8.5 miles and he could easily go more. We did 11 yesterday broken in to two runs, and he was finally sort of worn out last night. He is great! I am worried about him as it warms up though because he is a husky with a built in fur coat. I foresee a lot of very early morning runs when it is cool enough to take him over the summer.

The training is going well, but is so different training with my coach Ben, vs how I would do it on my own. Ben simply pushes me more, which I can't/don't know how to do on my own without being injured. More hours, more volume, more intensity, and more consistency. I have come to the conclusion that cookie cutter plans don't do that for me. Most are pretty generic, at least the ones I found and used previously. Plus, there was no one to be accountable to. Having Ben there to tailor it to me, giving me specific workouts, intervals to hit, etc, really challenges me. I am such a nerd because I love opening Training Peaks on Sunday to see what he's got on tap for me that week.

I also have the chance to go to Alaska this summer to help play race Sherpa for my friend Jason doing Alaskaman. It will be so much fun! I can't wait! We will also go to San Francisco for a week, and I am checking an item off my bucket list be doing the Alcatraz swim. I have had people ask if I would do the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon. It really holds no interest to me, just the epic swim! It's stupid expensive, and who wants to bike those hills and run them for a ridiculous price? Not me. I then heard that a local swim club does monthly swims and when I looked it up, found they were doing it the Saturday we are there. It's FATE! I signed up and that awaits me June 24.

I have Icebreaker in two weeks (year 6 going back), East Canyon Oly in June, then Brineman 70.3 at the end of September. I don't really plan on racing more than that. I am totally okay with that as well. It just so happens that other races I've looked at we either will be out of town or have other family stuff going those weekends, so that was the main limiter. But then again, I raced so much last year trying to get to Nationals, that it was almost too much, so I am happy with what's on the docket for now and don't see it changing.

I go back and forth on my desire to do another Ironman. I will do another one, that isn't in question. What is in question is which race and when. I really thought 2018 would be my year to do it again, but now I am not so sure. The time, effort, energy, etc that goes into it doesn't really appeal to me right now. Plus, training for one with Ben just might kill me. His training is totally different than what I've done on my own (all good) and training for StG is no joke. Its hard and challenging, but at the right level. Doing more than this right now would probably max me out more than I can do in the foreseeable future. I am starting to think 70.3s might just be my favorite distance. I hate olys. Love sprints, but like endurance, hence 70.3s being pretty sweet that way. Enough to challenge you, but not enough to (quite) kill you :)

That's it for now. I will probably do an update after Icebreaker. No aspirations there other than to go and have fun. I am not even tapering for it as it is just a sprint on the road to StG. In fact, I have a long trainer ride waiting for me post race :)